Coachella 2007

Favorite acts

1) LCD Soundsystem

2) Arcade Fire

3) Amy Winehouse

4) The Decemberists

5) Gogol Bordello

6) Brazilian Girls

7) Lily Allen

8) Jesus and Mary Chain

9) Arctic Monkeys

10) Cut Chemist

11) Peter Bjorn & John

12) Kaiser Chiefs

Biggest Surprises

1) Gogol Bordello. it's raucous gypsy rock - what's not to love?

2) Lily Allen. After seeing Amy Winehouse with her powerhouse voice I was sure I was going to be disappointed with Lily Allen's set. I was wrong. It's unfair to compare the two. They're in two different leagues and make two different kinds of music. Lily Allen's was very dancey and fun. Amy Winehouse's voice was reminiscent of Ronnie Spector.

3) Lemonheads. Can you believe Goldenvoice arranged to have the Lemonheads play in the same timeslot as Rage? They set Evan up for disaster. But it was cool to be 1 of 150 people watching them play, as opposed to being 1 of 60,000 watching Rage play.

Disapointments

1) Air. I left Lily Allen's set because Sean REALLY wanted to see them. He'd been talking all weekend about seeing them. We show up and 30 minutes after their set was suppose to begin, they still hadn't started playing. 2 minutes after we left, they started playing.

The next group isn't quite a disappointment, they're just not at all what I was expecting:

2) The Good, the Bad and the Queen. They'll have to go in the same category as M. Ward. Love the album, could listen to it forever. But when I see them live I just want to close my eyes and take a nap.

Sad I had to miss
1) Interpol
2) Kings of Leon
3) Tokyo Police Club. This week's Gilmore Gils referenced them at least 5 times. Wish I could have seen what all the fuss was about.
4) Rufus Wainwright. Luckily, we're seeing his "Judy Garland Live At Carnegie Hall" show at the Hollywood Bowl in September. Can. Not. Wait.
5) Rodrigo y Gabriela

Big Thumbs Down (aka: I will never pay to see these guys again)
1) Peeping Tom

Sadly, Danny Devito Watch 2007 was a failure. Sean and I had ZERO sightings. Although our friend Todd saw him onstage when he introduced Peeping Tom. Next year, Danny. Next year.

My 1 celebrity sighting: Adrian Young - of No Doubt and Tim Olyphant's 'sports reporter' replacement on Indie.